Sunday, December 30, 2007

Tree of Life

The ultimate holiday for the kids is hours and hours in the swimming pool. The rest didn't really matter. What they hate most is shopping. At least for my children.

There is a swimming pool at the apartment we stayed. I kept telling the kids, it would be cold. But since they think they can handle coldness, I let them have a dip. It was freezing alright. I dip my feet in it and felt like they were going to cramp. But the kids manage to get themselves up to the waist while Haziq and Ilham actually swam a few laps. Brrrr.

I tried using the gym facilities. I pretended to play pool. I pretended to play squash (alone). I pretended to lose fat on the bicycle. But I did work my butt off on the butt machine and had pain for a few days after. Adui sakit bontot I complained to Elisa. She didn't offer any massages though.

After heavily eating all I can at P0nderrosa, we went outing to Riff@ where the "Tree of Life" is. And we were all thankful to the new toy for it showed the exact point of the tree of which with the tourist map that we had would have made us go round and round clueless in the desert. I am still playing a lot and trying to find cheats. I'll write more when I am better.

The Tree of Life apparently is a lonely tree which has lived for like 500 years in the middle of the desert without any clear water source. Of course now with the tarmac road, the tree doesn't seem to be in the middle of the desert at all.

AT first I thought, the tree of life is somewhat an elixir like the fountain of youth but alas its not. So my plan to steal a little branch was not executed. The tree of life is like a symbol to B@hrain, on how, like the mesquite tree, the B@harainis could survive the harsh condition and will prosper more. The tree is big alright. the branches are heavy and strong and it scoops the ground making it accessible for you to climb on it. The kids did, which later I wondered whether its ok.

I wish the authorities would take care of the tree better. It may have survived without clear water source for many millenniums, but it would have died easily in the hands of man. There are graffitis and cut marks by those who think leaving a mark of their presence is important to the rest of the visitors. Its a shame. A disgrace to the beautiful tree.

While we were there, we saw a small kabilah of camels in the desert. What a pleasant surprise. Like the tourists that we were, we went to take photos. Up close and personal with the camels. Look at their teeth.

Imagine traveling with the camels for mile and miles in the desert bringing salt and goodies to be traded to the next town. In the heat of the sun. In the freezing desert winter. No wonder many chose Landcruiser many times over.

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Before going back to the apartment, we stopped at the Oil museum. But it was close when it really should not. Baahhh. I was hoping to get a free guide from Mr. Taufik since he is an expert on it.

Next to the museum is the first B@hrain's oil well which have been sucking oil since 1932 and apparently is still is. Fuyo! This is in Jebel Dukhan, just about 1.2kmfrom the tree of life. The cloudy mountain.

Then when we had enough of the desert, we headed back home. As we were going out, the other lane was packed with cars going into the desert.

Ok before that, I notice that people in B@hrain like to have picnic at any shaded tress they can find, be it next to the highway or any road. My lover and I went about betting whether there would be any car parking under the tree surrounded by the bushes up front. And most of the time there are. I find this strange, becaue coming from Malaysia, we go picnicking at a picnic spot which are ddefinitely not next to a highway.

In Qtar, the only place I see this is at the cornice where people put up chairs next to the road. But at least they are facing the sea. The labourers though, would lie down at any grassed area they can find, even on a roundabout.

But in the desert, there were tents almost everywhere. Its almost like a settlement area. I guess this is where they spend their weekend, partly reminiscing their older ancestors' life. What surprise me even further is that, the tents are everywhere even next to the sprawling oil pipeline. I am not sure whether PETR0NAS would have been happy if many people camped out along their Y-networked pipeline.

OMG! I wrote too much. I expected to finish up B@hrain on one entry but I kept on rambling about my unneeded observation. You know, just so I remember.